Good quality hay or pasture should make up at least half of most horse’s diets. Horses will readily eat many types of grass and legume hay, especially if it is of high quality. The most common problems that horse owners have when purchasing hay are finding a dependable and consistent supply and determining if it is good quality for their horses. Cattle have a different digestive system than horses, and can break down fibrous material with greater efficiency, so they can utilize lower quality or more fibrous sources of hay. Horses consuming poor quality hay cannot digest it well enough to maintain body weight and are at greater risk for impaction colic. So make sure you can determine if the hay you purchase is “horse quality” instead of “cow quality”.